THE  LIBRARY 

OF 

THE  UNIVERSITY 
OF  CALIFORNIA 

LOS  ANGELES 


POETICAL  GEOGRAPHY  OF 
NORTH   CAROLINA, 


COLD  WATER,  REPLY  TO  GRAY'S  ELEGY, 


AND  BOTHER  \P OEMS. 


NEEDHAM  BRYAN   COBB, 

OF    NORTH    CAROLINA. 


CAMBRIDGE: 

printcD  at  tljr  Ktorrstoc  press. 

1887. 


Copyright,  1887, 
BY  NEEDHAM  BRYAN  COBB. 

All  rights  reserved. 


The  Riverside  Press,' Cambridge': 
Printed  by  II.  0.  Houghton  &  Company. 


TS 


PREFACE. 


THE  following  rhymes  on  the  counties,  rivers, 
creeks,  sounds,  bays,  and  mountains  of  North  Caro 
lina  were  prepared  by  the  author  to  aid  his  own 
pupils  in  memorizing  the  geography  of  their  native 
State.  They  were  written  out  on  the  blackboard,  a 
few  lines  at  a  time,  and  the  whole  school  required  to 
repeat  them  in  concert.  After  this,  different  parts 
were  parceled  out  to  each  pupil  :  for  instance,  one 
little  girl  committed  the  "Key  to  the  Counties;" 
another,  "  Now  we  '11  learn  the  lengthy  rivers,"  etc. ; 
another,  "  The  Skyland  Rivers  ;  "  another,  "  Tribu 
taries  of  the  Catawba,"  etc.  The  larger  pupils  di- 

7G2997 


PREFACE.  iv 

vided  the  creeks,  the  sounds,  the  bays,  and  the 
mountains  in  the  same  way ;  and  on  Friday  after 
noons  the  whole  was  rehearsed  in  the  presence  of 
visitors.  In  this  way  each  pupil  acquired  not  only 
his  own  part,  but  the  parts  of  all  the  others,  by  hear 
ing  them  recite  and  anticipating  his  own  part  in  the 
performance. 

After  the  repetition  of  the  "  Key  to  the  Counties," 
one  of  the  larger  pupils  might  be  required  to  go  to 
the  wall  map  and  point  out  the  counties,  naming 
them  in  alphabetical  order,  the  whole  school  re 
peating  the  names  of  the  county  towns.  He  might 
also  point  out  the  factories,  mines,  and  date  of  or 
ganization  of  each  county,  as  laid  down  on  Cobb's 
School  Map  of  the  State,  and  tell  something  of  its 
early  settlement,  products,  etc. 

The  rivers,  creeks,  bays,  sounds,  and  mountains 
should  also  be  pointed  out  on  the  map. 


PREFACE.  V 

This  method  of  instruction  has  been  so  satisfactory 
to  the  author  and  so  pleasurable  to  the  pupils  of  his 
school,  that  he  has  concluded  to  publish  the  rhymes 
just  as  they  were  prepared,  with  the  hope  that  they 
may  be  helpful  to  other  North  Carolina  teachers  and 
pupils. 

The  other  poems  of  this  little  volume  were  com 
posed  in  different  places  arid  at  different  periods  of 
life,  and  are  given  to  the  public  for  what  they  are 
worth.  N.  B.  C. 

LlLESVlLLE,  N.  C. 


CONTENTS. 


PAGE 

POETICAL  GEOGRAPHY  OF  NORTH  CAROLINA    .  .1 

A  HOME  IN  THK  MOUNTAINS   .  31 

COLD  WATER -36 

REPLY  TO  GRAY'S  ELEGY 47 

WORLDLINESS  AND  WORTH,    OR  THE   BUTTERFLY    AND    THE 

BEE 50 

THE  CHRISTIAN'S  COMFORT 56 

THE  TERRIBLE  STORM 57 

WOULD  I  BE  MISSED  ?  61 


POETICAL   GEOGRAPHY   OF   NORTH 
CAROLINA. 

PREPARED  TO  AID  THE  CHILDREN  OF  NORTH  CAROLINA 
IN  MEMORIZING  THE  COUNTIES,  RIVERS,  CREEKS,  SOUNDS, 
BAYS,  AND  MOUNTAINS  OF  THE  OLD  NORTH  STATE. 


KEY  TO  THE  NINETY  SIX   COUNTIES    OF  NORTH 
CAROLINA. 

HERE  's  an  alphabetic  key, 
Written  out  by  N.  B.  C., 
To  assist  your  memory 
Of  the  counties  of  N.  C. 

KEY. 

One  in  E,  I,  U?  and  V  ; 
Two  in  F,  L,  0,  Y,  T; 

Only  three  in  N  and  J  ; 
Five  in  D  and  S  and  A  ; 


POETICAL   GEOGRAPHY.  2 

Six  in  B,  R,  H,  and  G; 
Seven  in  W;  same  in  P; 
Eight  in  M,  fifteen  in  C; 
And  none  in  K,  Q,  X,  and  Z. 

RIVERS   OF   N.   C. 

Now  we  '11  learn  the  lengthy  rivers 
Flowing  through  the  Old  North  State  ; 
Take  them  down  for  future  study, 
Write  them  all  upon  your  slate. 

SKYLAND  RIVERS. 

Swanannoa,  Tahkeosta,1 
Tuckaseige,  Tennessee, 
Wild  Watauga,  Hiawasse, 
Nantahala,  Cheowee, 
Valley,  Elk,  Oconalufta, 

1  Indian  name  for  French  Broad  River. 


POETICAL   GEOGRAPHY.  4 

New  and  Toe  and  Pigeon  flow 

From  the  Skyland  through  the  mountains 

To  the  Gulf  of  Mexico. 

TRIBUTARIES    OF   THE   CATAWBA. 

Linville,  Johns,  and  upper  Little 

Come  from  mountains  tall  and  blue, 

Join  Catawba  flowing  eastward, 

Then  flow  southward  with  it  too. 

South  Catawba  then  approaches, 

With  its  branches,  large  and  wee  ; 

Green  and  Broad,  from  Blue   Eidge   tumbling. 

Join  it,  and  they  form  Santee. 

TRIBUTARIES   OF   THE  YADKIN. 

Reddies,  Roaring,  Elkin,  Mitchell, 
Fish,  and  Ararat,  you  know, 
With  the  waters  of  the   Yadkin, 


POETICAL    GEOGRAPHY. 

On  their  eastern  journey  flow 
Till  South  Yadkin  and  Uwharrie, 
Rocky,  Little,  and  Pee  Dee 
Turn  their  mingling  waters  southward 
Through  pocosins  to  the  sea. 
Lumber  with  its  sandy  marshes 
Changes  to  the  Small  Pee  Dee, 
Joins  all  these  in  South  Carolina, 
And  they  flow  to  Georgetown  Bay. 

All  the '  others  treat  us  better, 
Stay  at  home  where  they  were  born, 
Or  come  down  from  Old  Virginia 
To  our  land  of  pine  and  corn. 

TRIBUTARIES   OF   THE    CAPE  FEAR. 
Second  Rocky,  Haw,  and  Deep 
Through  the  Chatham  Coal  Fields  sweep, 


POETICAL   GEOGRAPHY. 

Take  two  Littles,  Black  and  South, 
And  the  North-East  to  the  mouth 
Of  the  Cape  Fear  famed  in  story 
For  the  fights  of  Whig  and    Tory. 

PAMLICO   RIVERS. 

Little,  Flat,  and  small  Eno, 
Trent  and  Neuse  and  Pamlico, 
Pungo,  Tar,  and  Pantego, 
Bay  and  Long-Shoal  slowly  flow 
To  the  Sound  of  Pamlico. 

ALBEMARLE   RIVERS. 

Nottaway  and  dark  Meherrin 
Form  the  Chowan,  deep  and   wide, 
Pottecasy,  Cattawisky, 
And  Ahoskie  swell  its  tide. 
Pasquotank  and  queer  Perquimons, 


POETICAL    GEOGRAPHY.  8 

Yeoppim,  Little,  and  Cashie, 

Sluggish  North  and  Alligator, 

And  the  Scnppernong  all  lie 

In  the  vine-land  and  the  swamp-land 

Of-  historic   AlbemarJe, 

Where  our  early  royal   rulers 

Were  forever  in  a  snarl. 

Here  too  Roanoke  pours  the  waters 

Of  the  Mayo,  Smith,  and  Dan, 

From  the  distant  mountain  regions 

To  the  mouth  of  wide  Chowan. 

All  these  waters  flow  south-eastward 

By  Roanoke  and  Croatan, 

Till  they  find  at  Boddies   Island 

Two  small  outlets  to  the  main. 

New  and  Newport,  filled   with  fishes, 
White  Oak,  fumed  for  marl  and  marshes, 


POETICAL   GEOGRAPHY.  9 

Close  the  catalogue  of  rivers 
Flowing  in  the  Old  North  State. 

PRINCIPAL   CREEKS   OF  NORTH   CAROLINA. 
THOSE   WEST    OF   THE   BLUE   KIDGE. 

These  sixty  all  lie 

In  the  « Land  of  the  Sky." 

Stekoah,  Tuskegee,  Balds,  three  and  Cowee, 
Catalooche  and  Jonathan's,  Cove  and  Crabtree, 
Two  Ivys  and  Laurel  and  Piny  and  Pines, 
Beaver  and  Beaverdam,  Sugarton.  Fines, 
Hurricane,  Hominy,  Richland,  and  Scott's, 
Sandy-Mush,  Gash's,  Mud,  Cove,  and  Plott's, 
Brushy  and  Beech,  Jack's,  Grassy,  and  Rheams, 
Licklog  and  Shooting  (queer  little  streams), 
Barker's," Alarka,  and  tumbling  Cat-Stair, 


POETICAL   GEOGRAPHY.  10 

Red-Marble  and  Briertown,  high  up  in  air, 

And  Kirklands,  Hardscrabble,  and  Wesser,  they  say, 

With  Hanging-Dog,  Indian,  Cartoogachdye, 

And  Soco  and  Burningtown,  Brasstown  and  Glade 

(Some    leaping  from   mountains,    some   sleeping   in 

shade), 

And  Nottley  and  Nolan's  and  Forney's  and  Horse, 
And    Gap   and   Peach-Bottom   and   Meat-Camp,   of 

course, 

And  Howard,  Land,  Shoal,  and  a  few  others  flow 
Into  New  and  Watauga,  and  French  Broad  and  Toe, 
Tuckaseige  and  Pigeon,  Hiawasse,    and  so 
They  run  to  the  Tennessee  and   Ohio. 

THOSE   THAT    FLOW   INTO    CATAWBA   RIVER. 

Irish  and  Paddy's  and  Upper,   you  know, 
And  Lower,  Gunpowder,  and  Davidson  flow, 
With  Green  Paw  and  Crowder  and  Sugar  and  Nail 


POETICAL  GEOGRAPHY.  12 

And  Little  Catawba,  McAlpine's,  and  Steele. 
Paw,  Clark's,   and  three  other  Littles  you've  seen, 
And  Henry's  and  Stanly's  and  Jacob's  and  Green, 
And  Muddy  and  Turkey  and  Howard's  and  Long, 
And  Silver  and  Indian,  Big-Long  and  Young, 

And  Allen's  and  Lyle's, 

And  Falling"  and   Bells, 

With  hundreds  of  rills, 

Come  down  from  the  hills 

To  sing  in  the  mills 

Of  Mecklenburg,  Gaston,  and  Lincoln,  you  see, 
And  then  in  Catawba  they  flow  to  Santee. 

CREEKS   THAT   FLOW   INTO   YADKIN   AND   PEE   DEE. 

The  Brier  and  Mulberry,  Laurel  and  Snow, 
Two  Elkins  and  Elk,  Cub,  Hunting,  Bamboo, 
Bearing  and  Swearing  and  Panther  and  Cane, 
Middle  and  Muddy  and  South-Fork  and  Lane's, 


POETICAL   GEOGRAPHY.  13 

North  Deep  and  South  Deep,  Double  and  Rock, 

Big  Fish  and  Fishers  come  with  a   shock 

To    mingle    with    Dutchman's    and   Hannah's   and 

Tree, 

Two  Cedars  and  Flat  on  their  way  to  Pee  Dee; 
Then  Royall  and  Rocky  and  Abbott's  and  Fort, 
And    Timber   and   Cabin   (there    are   two   of    this 

sort) 
And  Second  and  Flat-Swamp,  and  Third,  Deep,  and 

Long, 

And  Big  Bear  and  Little  Bear,  mingling  their  song 
With  two  Buffaloes  (the  Irish  and  Dutch) 
And  Negrohand,  Richardson,  Richland,  and  Goose, 
Savannah  and  Stewart's,  Jones,  Coddle  and  Clark's, 
Rich's  and  Hitchcock's,  Solomon's,  Marks, 
Cartledge's,  Falling,  Smith,  Mountain  and  Brown, 
Island  and  Dison,  Gould,  Witherow's  and  Town. 
Some  from  the  mountains  and  some  lower  down, 


POETICAL   GEOGRAPHY.  14 

Some  creeping  and  sleeping, 

Some  dashing  and  splashing, 

Some  jumping  and  leaping, 

And  crashing  and  smashing, 

But  all  intermingling 

Their  jingling  and  tingling, 

Until  in  the  Rocky 

And  muddy  South  Yadkin, 

And  bouncing  Uwharrie, 

And  lengthy  old  Yadkin 

And  splendid  Pee  Dee, 

They  flow  to  the  sea. 

Juniper,  Naked,  and  Drowning,  these  three, 
Two  Shoeheels  and  Jordans  make  Little  Pee   Dee. 


POETICAL   GEOGRAPHY.  15 

CREEKS   THAT   FLOW   INTO    CAPE    FEAR. 

1.  Through  Haw  River. 

Two  Stinkings  and  Stoney, 
Two  Troublesomes,  Rock, 
And  Yarnal's  and  Crooked, 
And  Cane  and  South-Fork, 
And  Middle-Fork,   Mary's, 
And  Morgan's  and  Mill's, 
Boyd's,  Booker's,  and   Bowlin's  — 
Come  down  from  the  hills 
Of  Rockingham,  Guilford, 
And  brave   Alamance, 
To  mingle  with  New  Hope, 
And  join  in  the  dance 
With  two  Buffaloes 
(The  Little  and  Big) 
And  two   Alamances, 


POETICAL  GEOGRAPHY.  16 

And  Robertson's,  Stagg, 
Pokeberry  and  Hogan's, 
Winningham  and  Pine  Hill, 
To  help  out  the  Haw 
In  its  tortuous  flow 
To  the  Deep  and  the  Cape  Fear  Rivers  below. 

2.  Through  Deep,  LittU,  and  Cape  Fear  Rivers. 

Indian,  Governor's,  Long-Fork  and  Lick, 
McLendon  and  Grassey  and  Richland  and  Lick 
Silver-Run,  Sandy,  Mt  Pleasant,  and  Brush, 
All  run  into  Deep  with  a  terrible  rush, 
From   Guilford   and   Randolph    and    Chatham  and 

Moore. 

While  Darnley's   and  Dunfield's  (singular  names), 
Hector's  and  Nicholson's,  Campbell's  and  James, 
Ellis's,  Muddy,  and  Fall  Branch  and  French, 
Taylor's-Hole,  Pole-cat,  (Oh!  what  a  stench!) 


POETICAL   GEOGRAPHY.  17 

Cedar  and  Sugar  Loaf,  Nettles  and  Cross, 

White-Lake  and  Fishing  and  Rockfish  and  Bush, 

Beaver  and  Jumper,  Comers,  and  Gray, 

And  Big  Buffalo  all  come  in  the  way, 

With  Patterson's,  Branson's,  two  Stewarts  and  Platts, 

And  flow  to  Cape  Fear  from  the  hills  and  the  flats 

Of  Harnett  and  Cumberland,  Bladen  and  Moore. 

3.    Through  Black  and  South  Rivers. 

Then  Sampson  and  Duplin  and  Fender,  you  see, 
Send  Stewarts  and  Six-Runs  and  Big  Coharie, 
And  Bear-Skin  and  Little  Coharie,  you  know, 
To  enter  Black  River,  and  mingle  below 
With  Cypress  and  Harrison,  Andrews  and  Moore's, 
That   come   through   the   South   with    its   feculent 
shores. 


POETICAL   GEOGRAPHY.  18 

4.  Through  North-East  River. 

Trumpetery,  Merrick's,  and  Long  Creek  and  Lock, 

Maxwell,  Persimmon,  and  forked  Land-Fork, 

And  Goshen,  Sarecta,  Bear-Marsh,  and    Limestone, 

And  slow  Holly  Shelter  and  swift  Jumping    Run, 

Angola  and  Island  and  small  Lillington, 

And  Chinquepin,  Rockfish,  and  Lewis  come  down 

Through    swampy    North-East     by    our     principal 

town,1 
Where  they  join  the  Cape  Fear,  and  then  take  in 

the  Town 
From  the  rice-fields  of  Brunswick,  before    they   go 

down 

By  Smithville,  Ft.  Caswell,  and  Bald  Head,  all  three 
To  roll  with  the  tide  of  the  billowy  sea. 

1  Wilmington. 


POETICAL   GEOGRAPHY.  19 

CREEKS   THAT   FLOW   INTO    TRENT   RIVER. 

Beaverdam  and  Vine  Spring,  Mill  and  Tuckahoe, 
Travel  through    the  swampy   lands   of  little   Trent 
below. 

CREEKS   THAT   FLOW   INTO   TAR   RIVER. 

Shelton  and  Hatcher's  and  Tabb's  and  Peach  Tree, 
And  Williams  and  Clayfoot  and  Creeping,  you  see, 
And  Shoccoe  and  Reedy  and  Otter's  come  down 
With  Blounts  and  Opossum  and  Tyson  and  Town, 
And  Beaverdam,  Fishing,  and  Company,  Hall's 
To  mingle  and  jingle  in  Tar  River  Falls, 
Or,  flowing  with  Durham,  Pactolus,  and   Deep, 
And  Swift  and  Grinnell  into  Pamlico  creep. 


POETICAL   GEOGRAPHY.  20 

CREEKS    THAT    FLOW    INTO    NEUSE    RIVER. 

From  Person,  Granville,   Orange, 
From  Durham  and  from  Wake, 
Flow  the  forks  of  Little  River, 
And  the  Big  and  Little  Lick, 
And  Hannah's,  Dry,  and  Chunk-pipe, 
And  Crabtree,  small  Eno, 
And  Knap  of  Reed's  and    Elerbe's, 
And  Smith  and    Buffalo, 
Then  Black  and  Falling,  Sleepy, 
Arid  Nauhunta,  out  of  Wayne  ; 
And  Toisnot,  Bear,  and  Turkey, 
Two  Contentneas  out  of  Greene, 
And  Moccasin  and  Stoney, 
And  Deep  and  South- West,  flow 
With  Upper  Broad  and  Club-foot, 
And  Falling,  Broad  below, 


POETICAL   GEOGRAPHY.  21 

And  Beards  and  second  Falling, 
And  Middle-Creek  and  Goose 
Through  many  hills  and  lowlands, 
To  mingle  in  the  Neuse. 

CREEKS    THAT    FLOW  INTO    ROANOKE   RIVER. 

Wolf  Island  and  Marrows,  Town,  Hogan,  and  Show, 
And  Neilman  and  Double,  two  prongs  of  Hyco, 
And  Big,  Mill,  and  Moon,  (these  name  are  no  jokes,) 
From  Rockingham,  Caswell,  and  Person  and  Stokes, 
And    Bearskin    and   Nutbush,    from    Granville   and 

Vance, 

Big  Grassey,  Big  Island,  and  Jonathan's  prance, 
With  Sassafras,  Gardener's,  and  long  County   Line, 
Kehukee,  Skewarkee,  and  old  Sandy  Run 
To  famous  Roanoke  with  its  deep  Devil's  Gut, 
And,  rushing  and  pushing  through  many  a   rut, 
They  all  hie  away  into  Edenton   Bay. 


POETICAL   GEOGRAPHY.  22 

CREEKS   THAT   FLOW   TO    THE   SOUNDS. 

Troublesome,  Batman's,  Broad,  and  Stono, 
Wilkinson's,  Wallace's,  Deer,  and  Pungo 
Cowhead,  Core,  Fur,  Duck,  and  Harlow, 
All  these  wide  creeks,  as  we  now  know, 
Flow  through  Beaufort,  Hyde,  and  Onslow 
Into  the  Sounds  of  Stump,  Bogue,  and  Pamlico. 
Mill  Tail,  Second,  and  Frying-Pan   tear 
Into  Big  Alligator  from  Tyrrell  and   Dare. 
Knobb's,  Flatty,  and  Sawyer's,   three  creeks  of  re 
nown, 

With  the  waters  of  Pasquotank  River  run  down. 
Simmer's  to  queer  old  Perquimons  does  flow, 
While  Kend rick's  and  Salmon  to  Albemarle  go. 
Willis's-Quarter  and  Cypress  both  lie 
In  the  juniper  regions  of  ruby   Cashie. 
While  Bennet's,  Cole's,  and  Catawiskie, 


POETICAL   GEOGRAPHY.  23 

Panther  Creek  and  Conaritsa, 
Middle  Swamp  and  dark  Ahoskie, 
Pottecasy,  Coinjock, 
And  the  rambling  Rocky-hock 
Fill  the  list  of  Chowan's  stock. 

SOUNDS   OF  N.  C. 

Just  eleven  shallow  sounds 
Slumber  on  our  shore  :  — 
Albemarle  and  Pamlico, 
Topsail,  Stump,  and  Core, 
Currituck  and  Croatan, 
Where  the  wild  geese  soar, 
Wrightsville,  Masonboro',  Bogue, 
Roanoke  —  and  no  more. 


POETICAL   GEOGRAPHY.  24 

BAYS. 

Onslow  and  Raleigh,  —  the  largest  of  all, — 
Thoroughcars,  Shallowbag,  Kittyhawk,  Bull, 
Juniper,  German  town,  Edenton,  Rose, 
Yesocking,  and  Stumpy-Point,  —  these  all   compose 

The  principal  bays 

Of  our  wide  water-ways, 

Where  vessels  may  ride 

On  the  incoming  tide 

Of  a  gathering  storm, 

And  be  free  from   alarm. 

REVIEW. 

As  every  wise  pupil  will  often   review, 

1  '11  finish  these  lessons  to  benefit  you. 

To  sum  up  in  brief  what  we  've  studied  before, 

We  have  Creeks  three  hundred  and  ninety-four; 


POETICAL   GEOGRAPHY. 


25 


Five  and  nine  Rivers  that  flow  north  and    west, 
And  fifty-nine  others  that  flow  south  and   east ; 
Ninety-six  Counties,  twelve  Bays  and  some  more. 
And  ten  and  one  Sounds  on  the  Atlantic  shore. 


MT.    MITCHELL. 
(Hii;/test  Peak  East  of  the  tKtlitttpfi  lih-ir.) 

Now  study  the   mountains, 
So  lofty  and    blue. 


POETICAL   GEOGRAPHY.  26 

These  furnish  the  fountains 

With  rain-fog  and  dew, 
And  fill  up  the  rivers 

That  water  the  plains 
By  cooling  the  vapors 

And  causing  the  rains. 

THE   MOUNTAINS   OF    NORTH  CAROLINA. 

Pilot  in  Randolph  and  Pilot  in  Surry 
Stanley  and  Chamber's,  Car's,  TyrrelFs,   Uwharrie, 
Oconeeche,  Ben's,  Baker's,  Fox,  Crowder's  and  King's 
To  the  men  of  Tide- Water  seem  wonderful  things; 
But    the    men  of  the  Skyland  have  mountains    so 

tall, 
They  call   these   "  small   hillocks,  —  not   mountains 

at  all." 

The  South  and  the  Brushy  of  Burke  and  Caldwell 
Are  ranges  with  peaks  that  do  "  moderately  well ; " 


POETICAL   GEOGRAPHY.  27 

Hibriten  and  Rip-shin  will  do  better  still ; 
But  Table-Rock,  Shortoff,  Linville,  Hawk's-Bill, 
Hickory-nut,  Bald,  Black  Brothers,  the   Dome, 
And  Big  Craggy,  Hairy-Beard,  Mitchell,  and  Roan, 
Grandfather,  Grandmother,  the  Balsam  Divide, 
Hog-Back  and  Pisgah  they  mention  with  pride. 
Between  the  Blue  Ridge  and  Great  Smoky  ranges 
Are  ridges  as  many  as  spring  weather  changes : 
First  comes  the   great   Black,  with   peaks  tall  and 

shaggy 
As    Mitchell's    and    Clingman's    and    Guyot's    and 

Craggy ; 
Then  next  is   the  New-Found,  then  Balsam's   dark 

range, 
With  its  bears  and  its  wolves  and  its   panthers   so 

strange. 

Catalooche  and  Soco  and  Cowee  Divides 
Come  in  where  the  Cherokee  Indian   abides. 


POETICAL   GEOGRAPHY.  28 

Nantahala  and  Whitesides  extend  farther   west, 
And  Stanbury  winds  up  the  troublesome  list. 


HAWK'S-BILL,    BURKE    COUNTY. 

These  cross  mountain  ranges 
Have  many  queer  changes. 
And  all  have  their  spurs, 
Like  so  many  burs  ; 


POETICAL    GEOGRAPHY.  29 

For  every  small  fountain 
Is  matched  with  a  mountain. 


Asheville's   Beaucatcher 

And  Waynesville's  Lickstone, 

Marion's  Mount  Ida 

And  Bakersville's   Roan, 

Polk  County's  Tryon 

And  Wilkes  County's  Stone, 

And  Bending  and  Blowing    Rocks, 

Not  far  from  Boone ; 

And  famous  Old  Chimneys 

Below  the  Hot  Springs; 

And  Shining  Rock,  Chimney  Rock, 

Wonderful    things ; 

And  Baldface   and  Hyder, 

And  quaking  old  Bald, 

Junaluska  and    Serbal, 


POETICAL   GEOGRAPHY.  30 

Six  thousand  feet  fall, 
And  hundreds  of  others,, 
Grand,  fertile,  and  high, 
You'll  find  on  the  map  of 
"  The  Land  of  the  Sky." 


A  HOME  IN  THE  MOUNTAINS. 

I  LOVE  to  live  in  the  mountains, 
This  beautiful  "  Land  of  the  Sky," 

Where  streamlets  from  hundreds  of  fountains 
Go  singing  and  scampering  by. 

I  love  the  beautiful  Pigeon1 
And  Jonathan,  Soco,  and   Scott, 

Tuckasiege  and  Lufty2  and  Richland, 
That  tumble  from  Pisgah  and    Plott. 

I  love  the  tall  Junaluskas 

And  Lickstone  and  Serbal  and  Bald, 

1  These  names  of  streams  and  mountains  are  familiar  to  those  who 
visit  the  Waynesville  White  Sulphur  Springs. 
9  Vulgar  name  for  Oconalufta  River. 


A    HOME   IN   THE  MOUNTAINS.  32 

And  Crabtree  and  Hyder  and  Bald  Face, 
I  do  love  to  gaze  on  them  all. 

I  love  the  valley  of  Richland, 

When  waving  with  grasses  and  grain ; 

It  heaves  like  the  bosom  of  ocean, 
As  breezes  come  bringing  the  rain. 

Oh  !  look  at  the  smoke  on  those  mountains ! 

See  Lickstone  and  Serbal  and  Bald, 
All  rumbling  and  roaring  and  darkening, 

With  clouds  rolled  around  by  the  squall ! 

How  gloriously  grand  !     How  impressive ! 

How  wondrously  awful !  to  view 
These  mountains  while  God  is  distilling 

The  rain  and  the  sleet  and  the  snow. 


A    HOME   IN  THE    MOUNTAINS.  33 

I  love  these  beautiful  meadows  ; 

These  streamlets,  these  mountains    tall ; 
These  cloudlets,  these  mimic  volcanoes ; 

I  love,  I  do  love  them   all. 

Words  fail  me  to  tell  of  the  grandeur 
And  beauty  and  glory  and  power 

Of  the  mountains  and  rivers  of  Haywood, 
As  witnessed  in  sunshine  and  shower. 

The  scenes  are  unceasingly    shifting, 

The  sky,  now  brilliantly   blue, 
Next  moment  is  curtained  with   cloudlets, 

And  rainbows  are  spanning  your  view. 

I  love  to  live  here  in  Summer ; 

The  air  is  so  bracing  and  light, 
The  breezes  so  cool  and  refreshing, 

The  waters  so  sparkling  and  bright. 


A    HOME  IN   THE  MOUNTAINS.  34 

1  love  to  be  here  in   Autumn, 

When  forests  are  changing  their   hue 

From  green  to  orange  and  yellow, 
Red,  violet,  russet,  and  blue. 

Oh  !  then  is  the  time  of  rare  beauty, 

These  mountains,  sun-painted  and  grand, 

Seem  wreaths  and  rosettes  of  God's  making, 
Dropped  down  on  the  beautiful  land. 

I  love  to  live  here  in    Summer, 

I  love  to  live  here  in   Fall ; 
But  let  me  live  elsewhere  in  Winter 

If  you  'd  have  me  live  here  at  all. 

When  turnpikes  are  turned  to  morasses 

Of  reddest  and  deepest  of  mud, 
And  horses  and  oxen  and  asses 

Sink  down  with  a  splash  and  a   thud, 


A   HOME  IN   THE  MOUNTAINS.  35 

When  the  mercury  sinks  below  zero, 
And  icicles  hang  from  your  nose  ; 

When  fires  are  fruitless  to  warm  you, 

Though  clad  in  your  warmest  of  clothes  :  - 

Then  give  me  a  home  in  the  Lowlands, 
The  warm-hearted  Land  of  the   Sun, 

Where  people  don't  freeze  by  their   firesides 
When  Summer  and  Autumn  are  gone. 

WAYNES  VILLE,  N.  C.,  July,  1884. 


COLD    WATER. 

COME,  weary,  thirsty  mortals, 
Who  'neath  life's  burdens  sink, 

Come,  try  this  sparkling  nectar, 
And  ask  your  friends  to  drink. 

'T  is  not  from  sim'ring  still-worms, 
Where,  over  smoking  fires, 

'Mid  stilling  pois'nous  vapors 
The  bruised  grain  expires. 

'T  is  not   from  sick'ning  odors 

Of  putrefying  corn 
And  rye  and  wheat  and    barley, 

This  beverage  is   born. 


COLD   WATER. 


37 


But  up  in  lofty    mountains, 
Where  mighty  rivers  rise 

In  leaping,  laughing  rivulets 
Just  born  of  humid  skies  ; 


COLD   WATER.  38 

Where  storm  clouds  brood  and  thunder, 

And  lightnings  leap  and  flash, 
And  glittering  granite  boulders 

Fall  headlong  in  the^crash  — 


Or  where  the  red  deer  wander 
O'er  grassy  glen  and  glade, 

And  rippling  rills   meander, 
This  beverage  was    made. 


COLD   WATER. 


39 


'T  was  brewed  in  grand  old  ocean 
Where  tossing  sea-gulls  scream ; 

When  hurricanes  are    howling, 
And  livid  lightnings  gleam, — 


When   waves  are  surging  wildly, 

The  sea  in  anger  roars, 
And  wrecks  and  shells  and  sea-weeds  $ 

Arc  dashed  upon  the   shores. 


COLD    WATER. 

From  clouds  upon  the  mountains, 
From  mists  of  lowly  fens, 

From  froth  of  briny  billows, 
From  rills  amid  the  glens,  — 


From  all  the  mighty  rivers, 
From  every  glassy   lake, 

From  every  dew  and  raindrop 
That  falls  upon  the  brake, 

From  every  foggy  hill-top, 
From  every  dewy    plain, 


COLD    WATER. 

Our  Maker  is   distilling 
This  beverage  for  man. 

It  glistens  in  the  raindrops; 

It  dances  on  the  hills; 
It  laughs  along  the  rivulets; 

And  sings  among  the  rills ; 


41 


Then,  creeping  through  the  meadows, 

It  glides  into  the  brooks, 
Where  lazily  it  lingers 

In  many  muddy    nooks. 


COLD    WATER. 

Till,  meeting  other  waters, 
It  rushes  on  its   way, 

And  in  the  mighty  river 
It  marches  to  the  sea. 


42 


There  with  the  briny  billows 
It  mingles  in  the  main 

To  be  distilled  in    sea-fog 
And  dew  and  mist  again, 


Then  rising  from  the  ocean, 
'T  is  blown  o'er  hill  and  plain, 


To  feed  again  the  moun 
tain  springs 
And  water  man's   domain. 


No  poison  from  it  bubbles ; 

No  headache  from  it  comes ; 
It  starves  no  wives  and  children 

It  desolates  no  homes ; 


But  shining  in  the  ice-gem, 
Or  sparkling  on   the    grain, 


COLD    WATERS 


44 


Gleaming  in  the   glacier, 
Or  singing  in  the    rain. 


Sleeping  in  the  dew-drop, 
Or  dancing  in  the  hail, 

Or  dressing  up  the  wintry  woods 
In  sleety  coats  of  mail, 


COLD    WATEH.  45 

Sporting  in  the    cataract, 

Or  sinking  'neath  the  sod, 
It  every  where,  in  every  form. 

Reflects  the  love  of  God. 


Think  not  thy  worth  and  work  .are  all  unknown 

Because  no  partial  penmen  paint  thy  praise; 

Man  may  not  see  nor  mind,  but  God  will  own 

Thy  worth  and  work,  thy  thoughts  and  words  and  ways. 


REPLY   TO   GRAY'S  ELEGY. 

THE   UNSEEN  ROSE  — THE   HIDDEN   GEM. 

Thoughts  suggested  by  reading  the  following  lines  in  "  Gray's  Elegy 
in  a  Country  Churchyard  :  " 

"  Full  many  a  gem  of  purest  ray  serene 
The  dark  unfathomed  caves  of  ocean  bear, 
Full  many  a  flower  is  born  to  blush  unseen, 
And  waste  its  sweetness  on  the  desert  air." 

No  Hower  on  earth  "  is  born  to   blush  unseen, 
And  waste  its  sweetness  on  the   desert  air," 
No  ocean  "  gem  of  purest  ray   serene  " 
Is  planted  in   the  deep  to  perish  there. 

The  eye  of  Man  may  ne'er  behold  that  gem 
"  The  dark  unfathomed  caves  of  ocean   bear," 


REPLY  TO   OKAY'S  ELEGY.  48 

His  keenest  sense  ne'er  note  the  sweet  perfume 
That  rose  distils  upon  the  desert  air. 

Still  not  one  sparkle  of  that  gem  is  lost ; 
And  not  one  breath  of  fragrance  from  the  rose, 
For  round  about  them  are  a  countless  host 
Wno  in  their  splendor  revel  or  repose. 

Those  "  dark  un fathomed  eaves  "  of  ocean's  deep 
Are  not  so  dark  as  poets  sometimes  write  ; 
There  myriads,  moving,  mingling  monsters  creep, 
And  doubtless  to  them  all  that  gem  is    bright. 

Within  the  caverns  of  the   grains  of  sand 
That  lie  around  that   desert  rose's   feet, 
A  thousand  living  things,  fed  by   God's    hand, 
Find  joyous  homes.     To  them  that  rose  is  sivcct. 


REPLY  TO   GRAY'S   ELEGY.  49 

But  still,  if  not  a  creature  wandered  where 
That  rose  is  blooming,  or  that  gem  is  laid, 
The  great   Creator,  GOD,  who  placed  them  there, 
Would  take  delight  in  works  His  hands  have  made. 

Think  not  thy  worth  and  work  are  all  unknown, 
Because  no  partial  penmen  paint  thy  praise. 
Man  may  not  see  nor  mind  ;  but  God  will  own 
Thy  worth  and  work,  thy   thoughts  and  words  and 
ways. 

The  desert  rose,  though  never  seen  by  man, 
Is  nurtured  with  a  care  divinely  good. 
The  ocean  gem,   though  'neath  the  rolling  main, 
Is  ever  brilliant  in  the  eyes  of  God. 

SHELBY,  N.  C.,  August  29,  1871. 


WORLDLINESS  AND  WORTH,  OR  THE  BUT 
TERFLY  AND   THE   BEE. 

AMONG  the  winged  insects 
That  visit  summer  bowers. 
Two  kinds,  of  different  habits, 
Are  seen  among  the  flowers. 


One  has  imposing  plumage 
That  shines  like  dust  of  gems, 
As,  dressed  in  velvet  vesture, 
She  struts  o'er  flowers  and  stems. 


WORLDLINESS  AND   WORTH.  51 

Her  looks  are  very  lofty, 
Her  steps  are  very   light, 
Her  carriage  very  queenly, 
Her  colors  very  bright. 

She  lights  upon  the  flow'rets, 
And  sips  the  nectar  there  ; 
Then  flitters  round  the  roses, 
And  floats  away  in  air. 

You  cannot  help  admiring 
The  ease  with  which  she  flies, 
So  gracefully  and  noiselessly, 
She  skims  along  the  skies. 

The  little  prattling  children 
Gaze  on  her  with  delight, 
And  fondly  seek  to  follow 
The  Butterfly  in  flight. 


WORLDLINESS  AND    WORTH.  52 

The  other 's  not  so  pretty, 
She  's  not  so  gayly  dressed  ; 
She  wears  no  gaudy   colors, 
Nor  diamonds  on  her  breast. 

She  has  no  flashing  plumage, 
Nor  even  graceful  flight; 
She  never  charms  the  simple 
By  waltzing  in  the  light. 

She  does  n't  travel  swiftly, 
For  she  lights  everywhere, 
On  all  the  leaves  and  roses, 
And  gathers  honey  there. 

The  dragon  mouth  she  opens, 
The  buttercup  explores; 
And  every  shrub  she  visits 
Yields  up  its  nectar  stores. 


WORLDLINESS  AND    WORTH.  53 

Her  friend  of  gaudy  plumage 
Disdains  her  lowly  state  ; 
She  giggles  at  her  old  brown  dress, 
And  mocks  her  stupid  gait. 

She  sees  no  use  of  spending 

One's  life  in  this  dull  way, 

And  thanks  her  stars  she  's  better  off 

Than  prosy,  droning  Bee. 

The  Bee  works  on  :  she  visits 
The  flowers  and  shrubs  and  trees, 
The  cider  mills,  the  butchers'  stalls, 
The  piles  of  filth  and  lees. 

In  everything  she   touches, 
This  humming  plodder  sees 
Rich  nectar  for  the  working  ones, 
There  's  honey  for  the  Bees. 


WORLDLINESS  AND    WORTH.  54 

Now  come  and  see  the  sequel  — 
The  lesson  ne'er  forget  — 
The  one  died  last  October, 
The  other's  living    yet. 

The  Butterfly  has  perished 
In  Autumn's  early  storm ; 
The  Bee  'mid  fragrant  nectar 
Is  sheltered  safe  and  warm. 

Ye  worldly-minded  mortals, 
Who  live  for  pomp  and   show, 
Learn  from  the  fate  of  Butterfly 
How  you  must  quickly  go. 

Death's  autumn  cold  is    coming ; 
Its  storms  are  gathering  fast : 
Will  you  have  hive  and  honey 
To  flee  to  in  the  blast? 


WORLDLINESS  AND    WORTH.  55 

Some  people  read  their  Bibles 
Like  foolish  Butterfly, 
Who  drinks  alone  the  juices 
Which  on  the  surface  lie. 

They  dive  not  to   the  bottom, 
As  earnest,  honest  Bee, 
And  miss  the  hidden   nectar. 
Which  worldly  ones  can't  see. 

Within  this  blessed   Volume 
There  's  honey  everywhere  ; 
But  those  alone  extract  it 
Who  read  with  earnest  prayer. 

SHELBY,  N.  C.,  October,  1871 


THE  CHRISTIAN'S   COMFORT. 

IF  God  is  my  light  I  never  shall   stumble  ; 
For  He  is  the  Way  as  well  as  the  Light. 
If  He  is  rny  wisdom  I  never  should  grumble ; 
For  He  doeth  all  things  timely  and  right. 

If  God  is  my  Shepherd  I  never  shall   want. 
If  he  is  my  Truth  I  never  can  lie. 
If  He  is  my  Strength  I  never  can  faint. 
If  He  is  my  Life  I  never  can   die. 


THE  TERRIBLE   STORM. 

OH  !  the  storm,  the  terrible  storm  ! 
Filling  the  sky  and  the  earth  with  alarm  ; 
Bending  the  forests,  blasting  the  trees, 
Tumbling  the  cattle  on  haunches  and  knees  ; 
Roaring, 

Pouring, 

Scouring  along, 

Terrible  storm  !  will  it  do  nothing  wrong  ? 
See  how  it  tosses  the  leaves   o'er  the  plains ! 
Hear  how  it  rattles  the  shutters  and   panes  ! 

Oh !  the  storm,  the  terrible  storm  ! 

Hark !  how  it  roars !     'T  is  time   for   alarm. 


THE    TERRIBLE   STORM.  58 

Hushed  are  the  voices  of  aged  and    young, 
Stilled  is  the  music  of  prattle  and  song. 
Squeaking, 
Creaking, 

Breaking  they  fall, 

The  stately  oaks  and  the  pine-trees  tall ; 
Jumbled  and  tumbled  and  twisted  around 
In  tangled  confusion  all  over  the  ground. 

"  Oh !  the  storm,  the  terrible  storm  ! 
Those  darkening  clouds  are  freighted  with  harm." 
The  householder  looks  to  the  cloud  in  the  west, 
And  instantly  falls  to  smiting  his  breast. 
Surging, 

Splurging, 

Crushing,  it's  come, 
The  horrible  charge  of  a  wild  cyclone. 
The  window-panes  rattle,  the  house-rafters   creak, 
And  shutters  are  slammed  to  and  fro  till  they  break. 


THE   TERRIBLE   STORM.  59 

"  Oh  !  the  storm,  the  horrible  storm  !  " 
Wife,  husband,  and  children  now  scream  with  alarm ; 
They  huddle  together,  they  fall  on  their  knees, 
And  there,  'mid  the  creakings  of  timbers  and  trees, 
Crashing, 

Dashing. 

Smashing  their  home, 

All  thinking  the  Day  of  the  Judgment  has  come, 
They  cry  to  their  Maker,  "  Great  Saviour,  we  vow 
To  lead  better  lives.  0  God,  spare  us  now ! " 

0  cyclone,  0  dreadful  cyclone  ! 
What  deeds  of  destruction  on  earth  hast  thou  done  ! 
What  property  wasted  !     What  families  rent ! 
How  many  proud  spirits  in  agony  bent! 
Tumbling, 

Jumbling, 

Rumbling  away 


THE    TERRIBLE   STORM.  60 

Through  the  homes  of  the  rich  and  the    poor   and 

the  gay; 

Teaching  the  wealthy  their  riches  are  rust, 
And  the  proudest  of  mortals  are  ashes  and  dust. 

"  0  cyclone  !  0  dreadful  cyclone ! 
Thanks  to  a  Merciful  Father,  it  's   gone." 
So  said  the  skeptic,  when  frailing  away 
The  storm  went  to  teach  other  rebels  to  pray. 
Dashing, 

Smashing, 

Crashing  along, 

Stopping  all  prattle  and  laughter  and  song, 
Shattering  houses  and  fences  and  sod, 
Forcing  the  haughty  to  reverence  God. 

HICKOKY,    N.   C.,    December  30,  1884. 


WOULD   I  BE  MISSED? 

THOUGHTS   ON  MY  FORTY-NINTH  BIRTHDAY. 

SHOULD  I  to-day  be  taken  from  this  world, 
And  laid  away  in  some  neglected  spot, 
To  wait  in  silence  till  that  awful  day 
When  God  shall  call  his  ransomed  people  home,  — 
Would  I  be  missed  ? 

I  know  my  wife  would  grieve  to  see  me  die, 
My  children  too  would  gather  round  my   bier. 
And  with  their  mother  weep  at  their  great  loss. 
But  then  from  others'  homes  and  hearts  and  plans 
Would  I  be  missed? 


WOULD  1   BE  MISSED?  62 

What  have  I  done  this  day  to  make  me  missed  ? 
What  burden  lifted,  or  what  trouble  soothed? 
What  darkened  life  made  brighter  by  my  deeds  ? 
What  orphan  helped  ?  what  widow  comforted  ? 
Would  I  be  missed  ? 

What  have  I  said  this  day  to  make   me  missed  ? 
What  soul  in  darkness  have  I  led  to  light? 
What  saddened  heart  made  glad  by  words  of  hope 
Drawn  from  God's  word  ?     What  have  I   said 
To  make  me   missed? 

For  five  and  twenty  years  I  have   stood 
Before  the  world  as  minister  of  God, 
Head  of  a  household,  and  for  twenty-eight 
A  free  and  independent  citizen  ;  I  ask 
What  have  I  done? 


WOULD   I  BE  MISSED?  63 

Great  God,  when  I  review  the  past  and  see 
How  little  I  've  accomplished  for  Thy  cause, 
How  little  for  the  world,  myself,  and   Thee, 
My  soul  is  humbled,  and  I  feel  that  I 
Am  vile  indeed  ! 

Help  me,  dear  Saviour,  from  this  hour  to  be 
More  faithful  to  myself,  the  world,  and  Thee, 
In  all  those  duties  which  vain  man  calls  least; 
That  when,  at  last,  I  stand  before  Thy   throne 
With  all  mankind,  I  then  may  hear  Thee  say 
"  Servant  well  done." 

If  saved  from  hell  I  know  't  is  all  by  grace, 
For  naught  I've  done  commends  me  to  thy  care. 
If  these  poor  eyes  e'er  see  the  Father's  face, 
Thy  love  not  mine,  Thy  toils,  Thy  sufferings 
Will  bring  me  there. 

HICKORY,   N.   C.,   February   1,    1885. 


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